Trade deficit reaches USD 6.3bn

Serbia's total trade in the first half of 2008 amounts to USD 17.5bn, 42.8 pct up on last year. The Statistical Office said on Thursday that broken down, the figure shows goods and services worth USD 5.59bn exported – an increase of 40.5 percent – while imports reached USD 11.9bn, 43.9 percent up. Trade deficit reaches USD 6.3bn The trade deficit thus came to USD 6.3bn, no less than 47.1 percent more than in the same period last year, while import was covered by export with 46.9 percent. That figure is down on 2007, when it stood at 48 percent. While imports were up again mostly on soaring fuel prices and growing demand coming as a result of high public consumption that exceeds productivity, privatization and restructuring of enterprises and the regional trade agreement, CEFTA, contributed to the increase in exports. Serbia's exports to CEFTA countries amounted to USD 1.85bn, while imports stood at USD 928.6mn in the first quarter of this year. The USD 917.3mn surplus came mostly from Serbian agricultural produce sales in the CEFTA markets.

Trade deficit reaches USD 6.3bn

The trade deficit thus came to USD 6.3bn, no less than 47.1 percent more than in the same period last year, while import was covered by export with 46.9 percent.

That figure is down on 2007, when it stood at 48 percent.

While imports were up again mostly on soaring fuel prices and growing demand coming as a result of high public consumption that exceeds productivity, privatization and restructuring of enterprises and the regional trade agreement, CEFTA, contributed to the increase in exports.

Serbia's exports to CEFTA countries amounted to USD 1.85bn, while imports stood at USD 928.6mn in the first quarter of this year.

The USD 917.3mn surplus came mostly from Serbian agricultural produce sales in the CEFTA markets.